All That May Be
by Meddwl
Summary: Companion piece to What Will Always Be. Estel unburdens his heart to Legolas, and they speak of many things both joyful and sorrowful, of the Evenstar and she whom the prince loved long ago. Oneshot, slightly AU bookverse.


Estel Elrondion stared up at the intricate ceiling above his head. He traced the fluid line of a particularly delicate curling vine for perhaps the ninth time in as many minutes. It reminded him of _her_ , the fluid grace, the shadowy hair falling in delicate tendrils about her perfect face.

Angrily he shook away his daydreams. She was the daughter of Elrond and he, the waif her father had taken in out of kindness. How had he dared to raise his eyes to her? What had he been thinking that night in the garden? Some cruel fate had surely plotted this, to come upon that vision of flawless womanhood in the enchanting twilight, he had been no less ensnared then Beren .

Worse was his own fate, no irate Elvenking had he to face, no wise and powerful Maia queen. Only his beloved father's desperate face and his own mother's worried tears. But he was caught, caught like a fly in an unbreakable web.

For he loved her, with heart and mind, with every fiber of his being. He would give his life to see an answering light in her deep grey eyes and yet he would die to prevent that, how could he ask her to lay aside her life's grace for a mortal, king or no? It was too much for his twenty years, a burden that a man thrice his age might balk at.

"Estel?"

He found himself back in the light of the guest room as his mind cleared. How long had Legolas been calling his name?

"Legolas?"

"Are you well? Why did you not answer?" There was relief in the prince's voice and perhaps a trace of hidden hurt.

"I am well mellon nin" called Estel back, "I am sorry, I heard you not."

A laugh, clear and fair rang through the door.

"Still asleep, when the sun rides high above even the great trees of the forest?"

Estel blushed as he slipped his garments on with swift fingers, a comb through his dark hair and ablutions in the beautiful glass basin.

He swung the door open and there was his friend, leaning carelessly against the grey paneling of the corridor with impossible grace.

"You have missed the fast-breaking, mellon nin"

Estel grimaced, and apologized.

The prince laughed again and brought his hands from behind his back, revealing a platter of bread, cheese and autumn fruits.

"I thought you might have need of sustenance, you are nearly as voracious as the perianeth" the grey eyes searched his face, "And we have much to speak of, if I see aright."

Estel shrugged, "Your eyes are keen as ever, much has happened since we met last."

They sat in Legolas' chambers, light grey they were with forest green hangings. Very simple in design, a long low-backed bench, a plain couch, scrupulously made up and a few delicate carvings and paintings. Estel thought it was very elven and very like the prince, simple and graceful, beautiful in its strict simplicity. It was a warrior's room, but it was also the prince's and the healer, artist and captain that were all the friend he called Legolas.

"Elrond has told you of your name and lineage." Legolas was never one to falter, straight and true as his arrows speed his questions.

"I am Aragorn son of Arathorn, Heir of Isildur" confirmed Aragorn with pride in his voice, "How long have you known?"

"Since you were a child, I knew your grandfather as a boy, you are very similar."

Silence.

"Do you hold it against us that we kept it from you?"

Aragorn shook his head slowly "I understand why I was not told and there are times when I wish I was still blissfully ignorant of it."

There was sympathy in the prince's eyes but his mouth quirked up in an irrepressible smile.

"What do you find so amusing, the fact that I have just discovered that I am the last remnant of the Dunedain? Or that every evil that walks Ennor no doubt wishes me dead if they know of my existence?"

Legolas laughed at his friend's aggrieved tone and Aragorn couldn't stop himself from joining after all.

"You always wanted to be a prince did you not? I always told you to be careful what you wished for."

Aragorn looked as a sheepish as a handsome young dunedain chieftain could, "So I did. I'll take your advice in the future."

"Did you ever tell me to not fall in love?"

Something very old and painful rose for a moment in the prince's eyes before he lowered his face,.

"That advice I reserve only for myself. Who is she Aragorn?"

It was Aragorn's turn to look down for a moment before he lifted shining eyes to his friend. Legolas stared at him for a moment and whispered,

"Oh, Estel, penneth nin. Undómiel?"

Aragorn nodded his voice low and fond, "Elrond had just told me of who I truly was. Legolas I was so surprised and pleased, I truly am his kinsmen and such with such a high fate before me…" he sighed.

"I walked in the gardens that night and lo, as I sang of Lúthien her likeness stood before me. Tall and graceful, her dark hair stirring in the breeze. Verily I do not believe I had a chance at all. How could one see such loveliness and not love her?"

Legolas smiled, but it was laden with such sorrow and longing that Aragorn closed his eyes to escape the raw pain in his friend's gaze.

"Legolas, you do no not love her also?" he asked horrified at the possible implications.

The Elf shook his head as he mastered his eyes, "I love Arwen dearly, but not the way you do. My heart was caught as yours long ago, before ever Arwen graced this land and she is lost to me."

Aragorn said nothing, stunned into silence.

Legolas smiled gently at him, "It is an old pain that I bear, and it may never be assuaged but I have learnt to endure it. Tell me of Arwen, it is many years since I bid her farewell."

"I love her beauty and her smile. But she is not only fair, there is a calm about her spirit that pierced my heart. She is strong and the wisdom of years is about her, I felt young and foolish before her though I knew her not. I called her Tinuviel."

"You are not the first to do so."

"She spoke with me for a while. Adar is sorrowful, he fears to lose her to me and yet he cannot hate a child he raised as his own."

"Lord Elrond has known much pain in his life, but should Arwen turn to you his heart will be forever cleft; the love between Arwen and her father is very deep. The thought of losing her forever is grievous indeed though I pray that Eru may join all his children again beyond the breaking of the world."

"I pray so also, mellon nin. I would not wish such pain on adar for all the world and I would not have death part us forever, Legolas of the Elves."

"Nor I from you, Aragorn of the Edain, I have been told that I court only sorrow by friendship with mortals but I cannot see it so, for there is much joy to be had and I would rather have loved even fleetingly than remain hardened to the other races for all time."

"I do not believe that Eru would so sunder his children for all time, I will keep my hope beyond the circles of the world."

"Rightly were you named Estel, son of Arathorn."

"May it not prove false, all may yet be in eternity."

* * *

The references to Legolas' love will become a story as soon as a wrap up several others. She is the only character in Tolkien's world that I can see making sense in this regard, and it will be at least slightly AU.

Shire Rose


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